Lithium Sulfur Dioxide batteries (Li/SO.sub.2) have become the prime battery candidate for use in portable and remote communications equipment because of their high energy density and long shelf life. However, potential problems exist with these batteries. Under unusual circumstances, the internal temperature of the battery may rise causing the lithium anode inside to melt. This, in turn, reacts with other cell components causing a runaway reaction to occur. The temperature will continue to rise until the cell case opens up either mildly or violently, venting the internal gases to the atmosphere. When enclosing these batteries within a hermetically sealed housing, a means of allowing the gas to exhaust from the housing is necessary. Failure to do so can cause dangerous internal pressure levels to occur in the housing within seconds. In some reported cases, the sealed battery housing has literally become a flying projectile detached from the communication device. The present invention enables a worst case battery failure to occur safely while retaining the battery and battery housing to the communications device and still allowing the battery housing to vent.